From the Ashes
by DarkSorceressofLight
Summary: Renata Spencer has spent her entire life in the foster care system, being bounced from bad homes to worse homes before running off and living on the streets. A rainy night and a sketchy decision brings an encounter with none other than Captain America and The Winter Soldier that sets into motion events that changes the girl's life forever. (Cross-posted on A03)
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** This is the same story I was writing last year, but due to a major breakthrough and overhaul in the plot, it was better to start fresh.

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own any recognizable characters or elements in this story. Marvel Comics and Marvel Studios owns them.

 **Chapter 1**

"Well this is just fan-freaking- _tastic,"_ Rea grumbled as she glanced up at the stormy sky, huddled under the tattered awning of a foreclosed grocery shop. It had been raining for three days straight because of the _fracking_ tropical system stalled over Manhattan. While the weather kept the streets deserted - even the drug dealers and thugs that of Lower Manhattan had decided to stay home - it meant there was no way she was making it to the women's shelter before it closed its doors for the night. She briefly considered hoofing it for the nearest Underground shelter, but the closest one was a dive in Hell's Kitchen and she was near Union Station. With the vigilante Daredevil prowling around, she wasn't ready to meet his Enhanced ass in any dark alley.

To make matters worse, even with the streets deserted, she couldn't risk using her gifts. With more and more Enhanced coming out of the woodwork and the ever-present prejudice against mutants, even those with normal pre-cognitive abilities such as mediums and empaths were being looked upon with rising suspicion and fear. The whole mess with the Accords made matters even worse. The Underground Court did what they could in getting mutants and Enhanced to safety up and down the coast. The hacker collective known only as "The Court" that gave people new identities, found funds, and generally kept its conductors and protectors like Rea, who safeguarded chosen areas and way stations. In the past few months alone, Rea had seen more natural psychics and empaths passing through the hacker network than the past four years. It was getting harder and harder to keep everyone safe.

It was too risky to use her powers in the open in case a wayward civilian or thug crossed her path. She would simply have to deal with being soaked.

 _Get it together, Rea!_ she chided, shaking herself away from the ever-rising problems of Enhanced and mutants. The rain was getting heavier and her own Enhanced gifts were telling her there would be at least four more days of this crap. Shivering, she pulled her worn duster jacket tighter around her and pressed closer to the brick wall. The hairs on the back of her neck were starting to rise just from standing under the awning exposed for as long as she had…then again, it could've been the static electricity that seemed to generate around her constantly. Storms of any magnitude made her jittery because the raw energy thrummed along her skin. She needed find a place to hunker down and wait out the storm for a few days. Otherwise, she would start sparking lightning.

"You damn storm, stop that!" she muttered, the tingling sensation of static electricity made her shoulders itch. Scratching her back on the brick wall and grumbling expletives under her breath, she quickly considered her options; she may not be able to make it to a shelter or an Underground weigh station, but there were some abandoned warehouses close enough she would make it before the rain really began to pick up again. It wasn't her first pick in accommodations _(nothing was these days)_ , because it was near a construction site. They'd been booming across the districts since the Invasion four years ago _(who knew aliens could be such rampaging bags of dicks?)_. The last thing she needed was for the cops or a private security company to find her "bolt-hole". However, anyplace was better than standing under a leaky awning, getting needlessly soaked to the skin. Plus, she could use her abilities to ward off the rain since she would be on the move. Pulling the hood on her jacket further over her head, she made one more sweep of her surroundings before slipping into the dark alley, her boots barely splashing the puddles. _Ha! Parkour, bitch!_

The route she took was fairly quiet. She took to the rooftops after a few blocks; not only could she see her route better, but any straggling characters wouldn't think of looking up to see someone jumping from rooftop to rooftop. The static electricity tickled more at her dark hair, causing it to frizz and flare out of her hood. Using the electricity around her, she erected a small forcefield above her, keeping the rain from dripping into her eyes and impeding her sight. It seemed the storm was picking up strength faster than she anticipated. She was going to have to move faster if she was going to avoid using her gift any more than she already was. She pushed off the ledge harder and landed on the next rooftop, her footwork solid despite the bad footing as she picked up her pace.

After running for another half mile, an odd, metallic, thumping sound met her ears and stopped her in her tracks. It sounded as though something hit a dumpster. She was about to shrug it off as a stray dog or a cat when rough tones of German filtered through the rain. "What the hell…?" Now _that_ was weird.

Slipping over the edge and down the fire escape silently, she narrowed her eyes at the source of the noise. "Now what do we have here?" she murmured, dropping the small force field. It was a group of four burly men, thugs most likely. Although varying in size, they were buff and self-confidant to the point of arrogance. She rolled her eyes at how badly they were trying to break into the shop. _Might as well kick the door down,_ she scoffed, _it would make for a quieter break-in._ Narrowing her eyes, she swept her gaze over the leather jackets, cargo pants, and… _combat boots. Corporate muscle, ex-military or ex-convicts,_ she decided, remembering the type of people her adoptive father had associated with. _This night just keeps getting better._ She would be at a disadvantage; not only were they bigger and stronger than her, but she was outnumbered 4:1. Despite the odds though, she knew the shop they were casing and attempting to break into. It was owned by the Bouchards, an older, French couple who used their location and business resources to help Rea get underground when she ran from the foster system. They were good people. She wouldn't turn her back on them, not after everything they had done for her and for others. Bracing herself, she pulled out her metal bo-staff and began concentrating on her abilities.

Almost immediately, electricity crackled in a thickening ozone and lightning began sparking around her hand and staff. Lightning from the storm flashed close by, she could feel the power gathering in her core. One of the men let out a startled grunt when thunder cracked loud above them, but continued to jimmy the lock as she slipped away from the wall. Keeping to the shadows, she ghosted forward, her body tensed for attack when motorbike headlights lit up the alley. Cursing, she ducked behind a dumpster and made herself as small as possible. Her odds had just gotten even worse.

"Bad weather tonight isn't it, boys?" a clear, commanding, female voice rang out. Rea glared at the black skies and barely kept herself from banging her head against the dumpster in frustration. She may not keep as up to date as others did on the news but she recognized _that_ voice well enough. It was the Black Widow.

The Avengers had crashed the party.

 _Well, balls._

3


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** Beta'd by my lovely best friend who patiently got this through several edits. She is a gift. Translations are at the end and are done at the courtesy of Google Translate.

Update: Even though this is the same chapter as before, I did change the ending a bit to fit the next chapter (which is coming soon!) better.

 **Chapter 2**

 _Are you freaking KIDDING ME?_ Rea rubbed her hand over her face. Of course the Avengers would show up just when she increased the static charge in the alley. Already, she could see Widow assessing the group with even more suspicion and cuing someone on her comm. Considering Rea's luck, it figured she'd get Widow to crash the party.

"This is none of your business, _hündin_ ," one of the thugs muttered. He seemed to be the ringleader of the bunch. Rea scrunched her nose in thought. Even though New York was a melting pot of languages and culture, it still seemed off to her that these thugs seemed to speak English as a second language. Usually corporations hired muscle from the CIA or soldiers fresh from wet-work, not a few ESL muscle heads. It quickly becoming less of a coincidence that an Underground weigh station masquerading as an antique store was being hit…Rea held her breath and waited for the next move. She froze when she heard a new voice enter the mix.

"My German may be rusty," a distinctly deeper male voice called out. "But that is no way to speak to a lady. It seems you boys need a lesson in manners." Rea withheld a scream of frustration and pressed herself further against the dumpster. Of course Captain- _freaking_ -America would show up! It also meant the rest of the crew was nearby. Upon reflex, she looked up at the rooftops to see if she could spy an archer or a red and gold metal suit. There was nothing, yet she wouldn't put it past them. She needed to get out of there but she was stuck in the shadows behind the dumpster, trapped with the two Avengers behind her and the four thugs in front of her. A fight was imminent, maybe she could slip away then…

"How about we do this peacefully for once?" Captain America tried to reason. One of the thugs muttered something in German that Rea couldn't understand. Three of the thugs stepped forward, each of them drawing guns except for one who was hanging back. Rea gripped her staff tighter, barely paying attention to the lightning coiling and tickling under her skin and pooling under her hand. Widow and the Captain had taken up defensive positions as well. "Or not," he groused. Widow only flashed an amused smirk at him before she murmured something in her comm, possibly for back-up.

The two heroes barely had time to move when the fourth man in the back pulled something from his pocket and threw it towards them.

"M84!" Cap brought his shield up and Rea turned away as the flash bomb went off. She whimpered and rubbed her eyes to regain her vision. She ducked down further as the men opened fire on the two Avengers. She only looked up when she heard metal clanging against the brick walls and a fight starting. Standing up, she found that Cap and Widow were engaged with three of the men while the fourth was unconscious, apparently incapacitated from Cap's signature shield throw. This was her last chance to get out of there.

One of the thugs had tried to raise his gun at Black Widow, but she had already thrown a Widow Bite and electrocuted his arm. The thug stumbled back, clutching his numb arm, but he was far from down. He came at her again, a knife blade flashing in his hand. She blocked it easily and jammed the knife in between his lower ribs. The man screamed and bucked forward, giving her the leverage to swing around and catch the burly male in a thigh hold, her trademark move. Meanwhile, the other two men had engaged Cap, both coming at him with simultaneous punches and kicks. One of them took a swing with a baton, but was cut short when the Widow caught him across the face with her boot. The other got a face full of Cap's shield before being knocked into the wall. Rea watched in awe. She had caught a couple of the televised battles when passing by diners and sports bars and readily admitted to Black Widow being her favorite. It was another thing entirely however, to watch the two Avengers live, working in tandem with poetic grace and ease.

A groan and movement shifted her attention to the thug knocked unconscious. He was beginning to come around and started to look around to gain his bearings. Rea froze as his gaze landed on her; she was standing up completely, visible now to everyone in the field. _Shit._ Rea took off running, looking for an exit strategy. There was a fire escape under the next dumpster over. If she could just reach it…

Stumbling at first, the thug caught himself and sprinted towards Rea. Just as she jumped onto the dumpster, his hand wrapped around her ankle and yanked down. She hit the edge of the dumpster, knocking the wind out of her. As she struggled to get her breath back, the man dragged her off the dumpster and wrapped a burly, sweaty arm around her neck.

"Going somewhere?" he chuckled darkly, dragging her towards the open end of the alley.

"Barnes, we have a runner with a hostage! Cut him off at-" Whatever else Cap was going to say was cut off by a hit delivered by one of the opponents. Rea didn't pay attention; she was too focused on the man holding her and getting away from him.

 _Oh hell no…_ The energy that had been building up in her core gathered along her arm and a bolt of lightning arched outward, hitting the baddie and throwing him backward.

With a flick of her wrist, a ball of electricity formed into her free hand while lightning continued sparking off the ends of her staff. Coughing, the man looked up and his eyes widened slightly in recognition of what he was dealing with. He quickly scrambled up, the gun still in his hand but before he could raise the gun, the energy ball was already upon him and made a direct hit. Upon impact, the gun exploded and melted to the man's hand. He doubled over, screaming German obscenities as she sprinted towards him. Slamming her staff on the ground, Rea swung around and kicked him across the face with a loud crack. She then twisted her body and landed on her feet in front of the man, shoving the end of the staff up so that it met with another resounding crack underneath his jaw. She heard bones break with the force of the metal staff as blood sprayed from the man's nose. He screamed in agony as he fell backward, clutching the broken appendage. Standing up, electricity began sparking around her from the power boxes and the power lines above them.

"Aren't you a special one?" the man snarled, the effect lost somewhat due to the broken nose and hand burned beyond recognition.

"You better believe it," she glanced towards the two Avengers, hoping he bought the story. The man's snarl turned into a bone-chilling smile.

"A sidekick, hmm? That is quite the little talent you have. Manipulating electricity? Stark is good, but surely he cannot manufacture these conditions." A flash of metal was all the warning he had before the bloody end of Rea's staff was hooked in his shirt and pressing against his windpipe.

"You wanna take that chance?" she snarled, slowly lifting the staff - and the man with it - up along the wall until his eyes met her strange violet ones. His eyes widened as it seemed lightning sparks flashed across her amethyst irises.

" _Du_. The Project," he whispered. Her eyes narrowed in confusion but before she could question further, an arrow landed on the man's arm and a yellow gas exploded around them. Rea let go and stumbled back, coughing and trying to wave the fumes away from her. The man slid down into a heap, unconscious upon impact and she could already feel the effects of the knockout gas in her body. Rea spun, ready to attack again, but only saw Cap and Widow heading towards her. Glancing above, she could make out the silhouette of a brawny man: Hawkeye had been on the roof just as she suspected earlier. Grabbing her staff, she unsteadily began looking for an out and saw a transponder above their heads. One good shot would overload the entire thing and blow it, giving her the chance to run. Electricity began pooling into her hands as she pulled whatever energy she could get from the power boxes around her.

Cap must've realized her plan because she saw him picking up his pace. "Hold it kid," he ordered, reaching for her. She twisted from his grip as his fingers brushed over her wrist. Then, using her staff as a makeshift conductor rod, she pushed all the electricity from her hands through the staff and aimed for the transponder. A bolt of lightning flew upward and the transponder exploded upon impact, showering everyone with debris and white-hot sparks.

Using the chaos as a cover, Rea slipped away.

* _hündin_ \- German for "bitch"

 _Du_ \- German for "you"


	3. Chapter 3

**UPDATE:** Hey everyone. As ya'll can see, this chapter went through a really huge edit. Here's why: in writing the next chapter, I wrote a scene that seemed to work better at the end of this chapter. So I put it in, sent to my best friend/beta, and started the process of editing the entire chapter. It went through probably four or five edits until we were both satisfied with the end result. So here it is and the next chapter is in the process of being rewritten.

Huge freaking kudos and love to my best friend who is the editor for this. Seriously, she keeps my brain from going in every which direction. She is amazing.

* * *

As the chaos from the explosion died down, Steve lifted his shield off Natasha and looked around. He wasn't surprised to find the Enhanced girl gone. "Are you okay, Nat?" he asked softly. Natasha nodded, quickly taking stock of the situation and raised her hand to her comm: "Hawkeye?"

" _I ducked in time. What the hell was that?"_ Clint asked.

" _Are you guys okay? I heard an explosion,"_ Buckydemanded over his headset.

"Yeah, we're fine. The kid blew up a transponder and bolted," Steve answered as Natasha got to her feet.

" _I saw her heading east,"_ Clint replied. _"There's a bunch of abandoned warehouses in that direction."_

" _I'm just north of you,"_ Bucky was already on the move. _"Heading towards Union, I'll find her. Anything else?"_

"She's Enhanced with some sort of ability to manipulate electricity. She's fighting the effects of the knockout gas _._ I don't know what state she will be in."

" _10-4. I'll report when I spot her."_

Rea leaned against the wet brickwork and closed her eyes. Whatever gas that arrow was loaded with was trying its damnedest to take her down. Her head pounded mercilessly and her stomach rolled. The storm wasn't doing her any favors either: while her powers allowed her to absorb electricity from the atmosphere, it halved her regenerative abilities.

Sparks began arcing off her hair, a halo of static needing somewhere to go. She threaded her fingers through her hair and slid down the wall until her ass hit the wet pavement; static from her body connected with the pooling rainwater. Dizzily, she was launched back to her feet, her oversensitive body numb and tazed. She felt like she was being continually stung by a swarm of angry wasps. _Where is the fucking off-switch when you need one? I can't stay here._

Slowly leaning back on the brick wall, she pressed her knuckles into her eyes until stars burst behind her eyelids. _Breathe,_ she coached herself. _Breathe and_ _ **think**_ _._ She pushed off the brick and exhaled, looking for something, _anything_ , she could recognize. Nothing. She would have to head to the rooftops again.

Looking around a moment, she found the fire escape. As soon as her fingers were inches from the ladder, static arced between the surface and her hand with a loud _pop!_ "Shit!" she hissed, biting back the cry lodged in her throat. Grimacing, she grabbed the metal firmly, stubbornly ignoring the constant electrical shocks, and hauled herself up the rungs. She swayed and her foot slipped. She gripped the rungs tighter and swallowed bile. The last thing she needed was to pass out and fall off a metal death trap in the middle of a storm; another surge of energy would electrify the entire escape and fry everything on it. Pushing aside the thought, she focused on her climb and allowed her breathing to match every step she took.

Finally, she made it to the top and nearly collapsed on the concrete roof. Not only did the climb exhaust her, her head was spinning worse _._ The faster she could figure out where she was, the faster she could get back down to sweet, solid asphalt. Shaking, Rea looked up…and gaped. _Shit, this was a bad idea wrapped in a bad idea wrapped in a bad idea wrapped in…a taco._

"How in the hell did I make it halfway through Midtown?" she muttered to herself. She could see the Avengers Tower shining like the big-ass supervillain target that it was, and not just the "A" sign either: she could see actual windows where construction workers were rebuilding after another attack had taken out a couple of the mid-level floors. She could also see a few of the other "smaller" skyscrapers illuminated by the Tower's light, though not as clearly. She could even see the Chrysler building several blocks southeast from it. While she meant to go east, she hadn't expected to come this far. She was now closer to Avengers territory than she ever wanted to be.

Maybe that could help her. With a big ass supervillain target, there was always supervillain destruction…and too many hiding spaces for even the Avengers to check. " _Stay out of view of cameras,"_ her dad told her once. _"If you're hiding, look like you belong."_ She wasn't familiar with this area, but she could easily find a place to hunker down. The best idea was to get out of Manhattan altogether, for a bit anyway. She knew a few people who could ferry her across the river to Brooklyn. While she didn't know anyone from the Underground there… _it would be nice to go back home…_

The buzzing in her head had grown to the point Rea couldn't push it aside anymore. It almost like trying to tune a bad radio where all the channels were filled with static and intermittent voices; everything else was drowned groaned and slid to the floor with a choked sob, clutching her head tightly around the arcing static electricity as voices - not her thoughts - filtered through.

"… _ **port…"**_

"… _ **wreck… all"**_

" _ **Storm…year…"**_

"… _ **duced record…fall"**_

Rea stiffened as various voices filtered through the white noise. What the hell was going on? She never had something like this happen before? Was she now psychic? No, she knew psychics and none of them had weather reports being broadcasted into their heads.

Wait… _broadcasted_? Leaning against the ledge, Rea pulled her knees up and rested her head against them, concentrating on the voices. She recognized a few; they were DJs, musicians, and news reporters _._ Had the build-up of static electricity somehow caused her to become a radio conduit or something? She barely understood her powers as it was; the most she knew was that she could somehow transfer and use power from any electrical source as a weapon. She was a literal lightning rod. This however, was completely out of left field. She _didn't_ understand why this was happening, but she'd been aroundenough psychics to know how mental abilities could be harnessed. One even told her it was like using the station tuner on a radio; it had to be adjusted just right for the antenna - her mind - to find the right frequency. Somehow, Rea wondered if that kid knew this would happen to give that specific description. Either way, she was going to try it.

Taking a breath, she gently pushed the migraine pains away and honed in on the static. Immediately, the voices came through clearer and more complete. _**"…stay inside. This system has officially stalled and it looks like will be with us for another couple of days."**_ _Oh joy_ …maybe she should consider finding an abandoned sewer line.

" _ **Smokin' in the boy's room!"**_

"… _ **I mean, what the fuck**_ _ **was she thinking?"**_

" _ **Once this storm passes, I think we should have enough rain for at least another year and half…Yeah, no kidding, Bobby…"**_

"… _ **nothing, she disappeared again."**_ _Hello…_ This station felt different from the other stations… it felt _fainter_ than the others, like she had to dial it just right or completely lose it. Rea squeezed her eyes shut tighter and focused harder.

" _ **It's hard to believe she made it this far."**_

" _ **That gas should've knocked her out!"**_

" _ **She's Enhanced, Clint. There is a good chance the kid has some type of healing ability."**_ Rea opened her eyes slowly. Somehow, she had tapped into the Avengers' comms. It sounded like they were close, but the problem was, she didn't know how close. She was picking up radio stations all over Manhattan and Queens. There was no way to tell where the Avengers were. She needed to get off the roof and hide. Rea crawled to the ledge and looked over, unsure of the direction she needed to go. She glanced south; if she could make it to Madison Square Park, she could lose them.

" _ **I'm going to head up 36th between 6th and 8th,"**_ a male voice stated. Rea looked around and found the street in question. She was close to 6th and there were skyscrapers all around her. It wouldn't take much to be cornered on a low rooftop. Street level was her best option. Scrambling down the fire escape, she was already mapping out her escape route. As soon as her feet hit the pavement, she was crossing the street and heading north. Her spine froze and her feet slid to stop on the slick pavement as a dark figure stepped out of the shadows of an alley and looked around. Then, before she could react, their eyes met. She smiled and nodded in acknowledgement, hoping there was a slim chance he mistook her for a civilian. She quickly noted the traffic, listening as the man's voice filtered through the static: _**"I've got her. Corner of 36th and 6th. Front of the Brickhouse."**_

" _ **You want backup?"**_

" _ **No."**_

 _Shit, shit, shit._ She didn't wait to see what his next move was. She slipped out of the crowd and began walking down the street as fast as she dared. Out of the corner of his eye, she saw him walking parallel, keeping her in sight, a black omen of violence with hands in his jacket and rain-soaked. _Solid build, no set uniform, able to blend, hitter-type,_ she thought. Nearing a crosswalk, she picked up her and began jogging across with others around her. He looked like he was going to try and cross, the lights were already turning. She was still shaky and sick, she couldn't outrun him for long. _Or at all,_ she thought. But she could use her surroundings to put distance between them.

As soon as her foot touched the pavement on the other side, her fingers brushed the freezing metal. Focusing the static still arcing off her, she pushed a tendril of electricity through the signal button. There was a loud crack, a sizzle, and the traffic light changed from red to green. Cars started moving forward as she darted across. She looked back at the unmistakable sound of metal screeching and crunching on metal; one car t-boned the engine block of a van, triggering a sequence of fender benders. The intersection was jammed up. She hoped it would take a little longer for the intersection traffic to jam. _Damn._

The Avenger tried to follow her. As he stepped off the curb, a loud horn and screeching brakes added to the din. He reacted instinctively, bracing his body and slamming a hand down on the hood. The front end buckled. Rubber tires squealed on the asphalt as both car and man skidded towards a pickup. As he skidded, he put both hands on the hood and tried to get traction under his feet. Finally, the car stopped moving, the hitch of the pickup barely tapping the Avenger's leg. Slowly, he straightened up, checking the shocked driver and the damage to the car. There were two, large, hand-shaped dents in the hood and steam rising from the ruined radiator. The cabbie was already out of the car and yelling at the Avenger, "The hell man! The fuck'sa matta witchu? Watch where ya goin'! Look what you did to my cah!"

 _Enhanced strength and reflexes,_ her mind supplied. _What are you doing? RUN!_ By the time the unknown Avenger had managed to cross without getting hit, she was already in a full sprint down 37th, melting into the crowd toward Times Square.

Rea pushed her way through a group of tipsy college kids, shocking a couple of them. She ignored their shouts of pain and cursing and focused on the obstacles ahead of her as she ran. When she last looked back two intersections ago, her pursuer hadn't gained any ground on her, but she hadn't lost him either. Then again, it didn't help that she had bolted across four crosswalks and shoved her way through couples and groups. She dodged another couple and onto the crosswalk…as a taxi driver slammed on brakes.

 _SHIT!_ Instinct kicked in and without breaking stride, Rea slid across the taxi hood and jumped over two cars to the other side. As soon as her feet touched the sidewalk, her hand slammed onto the crosswalk button and electricity surged through the pole. Immediately, the traffic signal turned green and traffic sped off again. She glimpsed her pursuer sliding to a halt to avoid a delivery truck before she bolted down the street again.

Despite the rain, the crowds were growing thicker as she drew closer toward Times Square. Even up ahead, she could see Bryant Park glowing cheerily through the steady rainfall. Everything was so freaking bright. She needed to get out of here, needed to get somewhere dark, maybe a tunnel? _The Metro! I can lose him underground!_

Dodging across more traffic, she threw a quick glance over her shoulder as she slammed another jolt of electricity into the traffic pole. Her pursuer was starting to gain a little on her. She panicked. Instead of taking the straight route to the Metro, she veered right, hoping there was enough distance to throw the guy off. She blew through the crosswalk, recklessly dodging oncoming traffic, anything to try and shake off her pursuer. Rounding a corner, she ducked under a plaza hotel's overhang, nearly twisting an ankle when her feet slipped on the wet marble. At another traffic light, she didn't see the taxi cab until it was too late, forcing herself to jump and roll across as she collided painfully with the hood. It was a miracle she managed to land on her feet. She stumbled a couple times, but got her feet under her again and kept running.

Her luck ran out when another dimly lit side street turned out to be a dead-end alley. Her hands, sparking from panic, slapped against the wet brickwork. "No!" Her voice was nothing more than a croak. Her hand stung when she slammed it into the wall. She wheezed and coughed, desperately pulling air into her lungs. She didn't know where she was. She was running blind and no way out this time. For the first time in a long while, she was admittedly _scared_.

"Hold it, kid."

Gasping, Rea spun. Tall, Dark, and Scary as Hell loomed mere yards away from her, staying well within the shadows, blocking her exit. She saw a fire escape ladder on her left. _If I can get to it and swing past…_ He started to advance. She bolted towards the dumpster, jumping on top of the lid, and leaping for the metal rungs. Just as her hands touched the metal, a large hand gripped her ankle.

She didn't even think, she just reacted. Gritting her teeth, Rea pushed a lightning bolt worth of electricity down her leg and into the man's arm. Sparks circled the arm, circuitry exploded, and he screamed as he dropped to the ground. Still holding her ankle, he yanked her down as he collapsed. Her shoulders screamed in pain and her hands slipped as she fell. Rea came down hard in a puddle, her head very nearly cracking against the asphalt as the wind left her lungs with a gasp. Kicking her leg loose, she rolled out of the way and onto her knees, trying to regain her breath. Water pooled off her soaked clothes. Her hood had fallen back during the altercation, but she didn't reach for it. She stared at the man kneeling just feet from her, clutching his left shoulder. It was still popping and sparking. The appendage was dead from the shoulder down. _Holy shit._

Fear froze her in place momentarilyas she looked - really looked - at her pursuer. She was face-to-face with _The Winter Soldier_. She panicked, feeling electricity twist and coil out from her core. She scrambled to her feet and bolted without a second thought. A cold knot of guilt formed just under her breast bone and pressed into her lungs, her breath coming heavier with every step. _Feel guilty later! Just run!_

She dodged and weaved between people, not even caring that she was now attracting far more attention than she was comfortable with. Electricity sparked off her, shocking several people she jostled. She raced through busy traffic, not bothering with her traffic light trick. She just needed distance between herself and the Soldier. Finally, she saw a sign pointing to Metro Station , she found her way back to her original path. _Just a little further to the tunnels!_ She slowed to a walk as she made it to the entrance, being careful not to accidentally shock somebody from the static still threading through her clothes.

She sighed in relief as the burning and tingling sensation from the storm and her own use of her abilities let up. Her head cleared: she should've found a Metro station long before now, if only to get underground and out of the storm's electrical field. _Stupid, stupid, STUPID,_ she chastened herself. _You could've prevented all this drama if you had stopped reacting and started THINKING!_ Sighing, she smoothed back her soaked hair. She would have time to scold herself later. She unconsciously pushed fingers through her messy hair again; even though she gave the Soldier a good electrical wallop, he wasn't down and out completely. He would be coming and he would be _pissed_. She wanted to be off the platform and in the tunnels before he even stepped foot on the mezzanine. Looking up, she quickly scanned the area.

Workers were coming off second shift. Tourists were milling about as well as college kids and adults coming back from clubbing. She considered conning one of those college groups out of a Metro ride. Instead, she made a beeline for a nearby restroom.

Inside, she settled herself by the sinks and flinched at her reflection in the mirror. Dirt, rust, and God knows what else was streaked across her skin. Her hair was sopping wet and knotted from the chase, fighting, and using her abilities. _Talk about looking like shit,_ she thought as she blasted the hot water. She quickly scrubbed as much of the grime and dirt as she could off her face, the warm water tingling against her freezing skin. Drying off, she pulled her braid out and finger-combed the worst knots out. That was the best she could do for now.

Stepping out of the restrooms, Rea re-buckled the chest strap of her backpack as she peeked out. The trains were just ahead. Taking a calming breath, she slipped back into the crowd. She kept her posture natural, something that was easier to do when her body wasn't acting like a conductor rod. She moved so a group of college kids obscured her from sight.

Allowing herself to melt and disappear into the crowd once more, she headed towards the maintenance tunnel. She looked back to see if her pursuer was there. Sure enough, the Soldier had stepped onto the mezzanine and was looking in the crowd for her…and was that _Captain America?_ Sure enough, when he turned, the iconic shield was in his hand. Before she could even react, the station lights flickered and all the trains stopped just as they began to pull out.

" _Sorry folks,"_ a disembodied voice echoed through the PA system. _"The storm has shut down the system. We will have the trains up and running soon."_

"Hold it kid!"

She was running again before Captain America even finished his sentence. She jumped off the platform and landed in the tunnel, her steps echoing loudly off the concrete walls. Behind her, she heard two more sets of combat boots following her. She was exhausted. Her lungs ached. Her legs burned. She had to keep going.

Her night wasn't over yet.

8


End file.
